Sunday Post May 21, 2017/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday May 22, 2017

I am linking with Sunday Post at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading now at The Book Date.
Thank you to Sheila for the years that she handled this meme.
Thank you to Kathryn for taking up the baton.

What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I will be late this week posting for Sunday Post, MWAYR and Mailbox Monday. We headed out Friday night on our motor-coach drive to Illinois. I had not called to reset my mobile hub and when I called Saturday I was advised that I could not pay by phone. I had to bother our daughter to get the payment to the account and then I was unable to get the company on the phone to activate the service until Sunday night. Lesson learned -- set it up before setting out on the road!
We took a different route this trip and the roads were rather bumpy. This was aggravated by the fact that one of our inner tires apparently has a slow leak. We will be taking the coach to the shop this afternoon for tire repair. We also had a failure in the refrigerator. Hubby had replaced a part before we left but the whole system must have been failing. Fortunately we didn't have much food in either freezer or fridge. We have a warranty contract but we may not be able to find a licensed repair center to do that work until we return home. Oh the joys of RV ownership - similar to a house, there is always repair and maintenance work to do!
We are thrilled to be with our son and d-i-l and to see our 4 year old sweet pea and the 9 month old twins. Of course the Sweet Pea brought me books to read right away. :-) The weather here is lovely and their new home is beautiful. I will help watch the twins while d-i-l cleans and packs and Hubby will supervise the repairs that our son has to make before they can move in.

I got some good reading time in since I wasn't online for two days! I finished three ebooks and two audio books. I posted three reviews but not all of my usual memes.

I visited over 30 blogs again last week.
Blog shout out this week is for Posting for Now who has nice monthly Goodthings posts.
Thank you to all the nice people who visit me.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post May 14, 2017/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday May 15, 2017.

• eTBR- Book Review: From Afar by Roger Thomas; Inspirational, Religious; my rating 5.0.

• eTour- Book Review and Feature: Desert Melody by Laura Evans Serena; Metaphysical, Romance, Sci Fi; my rating: 4.0.

• PTBR-LBC- Book Review and Giveaway: Plain Proposal by Beth Wiseman; Amish, Romance; my rating: 4.25.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway May 19, 2017. Open Worldwide. Ending 5/25/2017.

• Sharing Beyond Books -Postponed due to travels.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement May 21, 2017 - in my head and heart but not posted due to travels.

Finished Reading:
1. eBook/Kindle (TBR)

Best Kind of Love:
A Reunion Romance Novella
by Rebecca Talley
This is a quick, charming and sweet romance.
I received this title in December through instaFreebie.
Click on book title for full description.

2. eBook/Kindle (Pump up Your Book Tour)

Desert Melody
by Laura Evans Serna
This is interesting and the tour review post is linked above.

Click on book title for full description.

3. Audio/mp3 (iRead)

Dead on Ice: A Lovers in Crime Mystery
Written by: Lauren Carr
Narrated by: Mike Alger
This is another good mystery introducing the "Lovers in Crime".
Received through iRead Book Tours for review 5/24.
Click on book title for full description.

4. eBook/Kindle

Death Unmasked
by Rick Suli
I enjoyed this fast moving mystery/love story.
A reincarnated evil is stalking the women of Houston. With each murder, the madman quotes an excerpt from the Oscar Wilde poem, “The Ballad of Reading Gaol.” A huge smokestack belching smoke, a ragged flea market double-breasted wool coat, and an old antique picture frame, bring the distant past back to haunt Houston Homicide Detective, Sean Jamison. With those catalysts, Jamison knows who he was in a past life and that he lost the only woman he could ever love. Searching for his reincarnated mate becomes Jamison’s raison d’être as he and fellow detectives scour Houston for a brutal serial killer. The memory of timeless love drives Jamison’s dogged search for a serial killer, determined to finish what he started decades earlier.
Each clue brings Jamison closer to unmasking his old nemesis. Tenacious police work, lessons learned in the past, and intuition may be the only weapons he has in preventing history from repeating itself.

5. Audio/mp3 (TBR)

One Dog Night
Written by: David Rosenfelt
Narrated by: Grover Gardner
Every time I listen to one of these I remember how much I like this series!bThis is from my Audible TBR shelf.
Publisher's Summary
For six years Noah Galloway has lived with a horrible secret and the fear that his rebuilt life could be shattered at any moment. Now his dread has become a certainty, and he has been arrested for the arson murder of 26 people.
David Rosenfelt, a native of Paterson, New Jersey, is a graduate of NYU. He was the former marketing president for Tri-Star Pictures before becoming a writer of novels and screenplays. He currently lives in Southern California with his wife and 35 dogs.
Grover Gardner, a Washington, DC.-based actor, director and audiobook narrator, has been a member of the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, as well as Resident Director at Everyman Theatre in Baltimore.
©2011 David Rosenfelt (P)2011 Listen & Live Audio, Inc.

Currently reading:

1. eBook/Kindle (NGTBR)

The Invisible City (The Stolen Future Trilogy Book 1)
by Brian K. Lowe
I am really enjoying this sci fi adventure.
I received this in 2016 through NetGalley.
Tracking German soldiers through the muddy trenches of France, Captain Charles Clee stumbles onto something amazing--a secret archeological expedition from the far future. Discovered and trapped, he flees through their time machine and finds himself stranded nearly one million years in the future. Clee falls in love with a beautiful woman whose family has befriended him, but when she is taken from him by one of Earth's alien overlords, he finds himself the enemy of the one of most powerful men in the world. In his quest to rescue her, he is startled to learn that a working time machine may still exist somewhere. With that machine, he could return to his own time and save his men from certain annihilation, but to do so would mean abandoning his quest. Torn between love and his duty to the men who served under him a million years past, pursued by the merciless assassins of the Time Police, Clee faces war, slavery, and fantastic beasts in a race against time itself--knowing that whatever the outcome, he must lose.
Brian K. Lowe is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

2. Audible/mp3 (Author tour)

Shadow Sight: Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective Series
Written by: E. J. Stevens
Narrated by: Traci Odom
I will be reviewing this first book in this series and the most recent release.
Glad to have them gifted on Audible.
Publisher's Summary
Some things are best left unseen...
Welcome to Harborsmouth, where monsters walk the streets unseen by humans...except those with second sight, like Ivy Granger.
Ivy Granger's second sight is finally giving her life purpose. Ivy and her best friend Jinx may not be raking in the dough, but their psychic detective agency pays the bills - most of the time. Their only worry is the boredom of a slow day and the occasional crazy client - until a demon walks through their door. Demons are never a good sign...
A demon attorney representing the water fae? Stranger things have happened. And things are about to get very, very strange as a bloodthirsty nightmare hunts the city of Harborsmouth.
There's blood in the water...kelpies have a reputation for eating humans. Unfortunately, kelpies are the clients. When an Unseelie faerie this evil stalks the waterways of your city, you have to make hard choices.
The lesser of two evils...
Shadow Sight is the first novel in the Ivy Granger urban fantasy series by E.J. Stevens.
©2012 E. J. Stephens (P)2013 E. J. Stephens

3. eBook/Kindle (iRead Book Tour)

Horizon
by Tabitha Lord
This looks like a good sci fi.
iRead Book Tours review date May 31.
Caeli Crys isn’t living—she’s surviving. On the run after the genocide of her empathic people, she witnesses a spaceship crash near her hidden camp. When she feels the injured pilot suffering from miles away, she can’t help but risk discovery to save his life.
Commander Derek Markham awakens stranded on an uncharted planet. His co-pilot is dead, his ship is in ruins, and he’s only alive because a beautiful young woman is healing him with her mind.
As Derek recovers, Caeli shares the horror of her past and her fear for the future. When Derek’s command ship, Horizon, sends rescue, Derek convinces Caeli to leave with him. But his world is as treacherous as hers—full of spies, interplanetary terrorist plots, and political intrigue. Soon the Horizon team is racing to defend an outlying planet from a deadly enemy, and Caeli’s unique skills may just give them the edge they need to save it.

May 22, 2017 - I up to date in the One Year Bible; reading along with my husband and others from our church. I hope to take more time this year, staying on the day and listening to the companion commentary online.

Some of my reading time is going to a Wednesday night study we are doing called Freedom Course.

I completed five books and posted three reviews; this means I have five reviews current and one for later release.
I am back to 12 NetGalley Titles and still at 10 author titles in my queue.

We're working on a children's story for next upload at eTreasure's NetGalley page.

Welcome to Mailbox Monday.

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. This Meme started with Marcia at A Girl and Her Books (fka The Printed Page) and after a tour of hosts has returned to its permanent home at Mailbox Monday. Thanks to the ladies sharing hosting duties: Leslie of Under My Apple Tree, Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit and (yours truly). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.
I did not pick up any review titles this week
I resisted Audible Daily Deals and purchased only one Kindle ebook.
I picked up more free kindle titles again. (Note these are in my Amazon library, NOT on my Kindle until I download and transfer them.)

Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

NONE

Won

NONE

Purchased

I resisted the Audible Daily Deals but I have four credits I can pick soon.
I purchased one Kindle title for $.99
Five Fun Female Sleuths: A Mystery Anthology
Julie Smith, Adrienne Barbeau, Michaela Thompson, Tracy Whiting
These look like fun mystery.

Free

I picked up Week four SYNC Audio titles:
THE GATHERING: SHADOW HOUSE BOOK 1 by Dan Poblocki, Narrated by Dan Bittner (Scholastic Audiobooks)
IN OUR BACKYARD: HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN AMERICA AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO STOP IT by Nita Belles, Narrated by Nicol Zanzarella (Oasis Audio)


I added 42 free Kindle titles to my library this week. Titles found linked through Bookbub, Bookfun, Ereader News Today, Free Par-tay, Ignite Your Book, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway May 19, 2017

Happy Friday!
I have pushed at work this week trying to get ready for vacation. Of course there have been numerous last minute interruptions.

I forgot to get a picture of the latest book group. Maybe I'll do it on Friday but don't count on it.

TO ENTER FRIDAY PICK

US Entrants: Leave a comment and tell me WHICH BOOK you would like to get from the Friday Pick lists.
INTERNATIONAL: Leave a comment indicating "Gift Card" (see further comments near the end of the post.)

CUT OFF TIME IS THURSDAY NIGHTS AT 9:00 PM CENTRAL so I do not have to stay up too late to do the winner post! I will randomly pick two winners to announce Friday mornings with the next Pick post.

Thank you to all who entered the May 12 Pick. There was one automatic win again this week. Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times without other people asking for that book during those weeks. There was one title blocked.
bn100 gets Matthew Reilly Pair.

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from May 12 Pick:
ADA gets a GC
JANHVI gets a GC

All winners please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form or email me to confirm your win, send your snail mail address information and let me know if you would like bookmarks - sensual, sexy or sweet bookmarks. {The form is new because Google changed their forms and the old one wasn't letting me print out the responses.}

Books can be a lighthouse to knowledge and entertainment!
Image found at Boston Globe.

New Book Group #72 May 12, 2017
PAIRS:
Brenda Joyce: The Third Heiress and The Rival
Jayne Ann Krentz: Dangerous Affair and True Colors
SINGLES:
Identity: Unknown by Suzanne Brockmann
The Third Victim by Lisa Gardner
Anna’s Book by Barbara Vine (Audio Cassette)
Passions Treasure by Betina Krahn
My Reckless Surrender by Anna Campbell
Led Astray By A Rake by Sara Bennett
Deep Freeze by Lisa Jackson
Rainbow Mars by Larry Niven
Bound by Destiny by Rayka Mennen
Valley of Bones by Eric Wilson
Memorial Day by Vince Flynn (Hardcover)
The Fireman’s Fair by Josephine Humphreys (Hardcover)


New Book Group #71 March 10, 2017
Mysteries and Thrillers
PAIR:
Matthew Reilly: Temple and Area 7
SINGLES:
Deception on His Mind by Elizabeth George
‘E’ is for Evidence by Sue Grafton
In Plain Sight by C.J. Box
Keepers by Gary A. Braunbeck
Lullaby and Goodnight by Wendy Corsi Staub
One Dark Night by Kevin F. McMurray
Rattlesnake Crossing by J.A. Jance
The Cat Who Sang for the Birds by Lillian Jackson Braun
The Panic Zone by Rick Mofina
The Silenced by Heather Graham
The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood by Susan Wittig Albert
Total Exposure by Tori Carrington
There Was A Little Girl by Ed McBain (Audio Cassettes)
The Old Silent by Martha Grimes (Audio Cassettes)


New Book Group #70 January 27, 2017
Thought I’d share some romances for February:
PAIRS:
Betty Neels: The Girl With Green Eyes and the Damsel in Green
Linda Howard: The Touch of Fire and Loving Forever
SINGLES:
The Devilish Pleasures of a Duke by Jillian Hunter
Kissed by Shadows (Get Connected Romances) by Jane Feather
Love's Brazen Fire by Betina Krahn
Love Letters From a Duke (The Bachelor Chronicles Book 3) by Elizabeth Boyle
Love Wild and Fair by Bertrice Small
Only With Your Love (Vallerands Book 2) by Lisa Kleypas
Scandalous Love by Brenda Joyce
Someone to Love by Jude Deveraux
Valentine by Jane Feather
A Visit From Sir Nicholas (Effington Family Book 9) by Victoria Alexander
Winter Fire by Jo Beverly


New Book Group #69 November 18, 2016
(I'll post a picture and links later)
Some books for Christmas
Mistletoe Marriage by Jessica Hart
Jingle Bell Blessings by Bonnie K. Winn
Snowbound with Mr. Right by Judy Christenberry
The Christmas Cowboy by Michele Dunaway
All I Want for Christmas by Gina Wilkins
All She Wants for Christmas by Stacy Connelly


New Book Group #68 October 28, 2016
SINGLE:
The Seventh Tower, Book One by Garth Nix
Plan of Attack by Dan Brown
Critical by Robin Cook


New Book Group #67 September 9, 2016

(*Three more very old books from my Gothics box.)
SINGLES:
*The Man in the Garden by Paule Mason (1969 - yellowed)


New Book Group #66 June 25, 2016

(I will post a picture later. *Four of these books are very old; pulled from a box of gothic novels I have had for many years. They may not be wanted by anyone and if so, I will donate elsewhere in time.)
SINGLES:
*Maggie – Her Marriage by Taylor Caldwell (1953 very old, yellowed pages, some stain damage doesn't effect reading)
Fire Dancer by Ann Maxwell


New Book Group #65 April 29, 2016

SINGLES:
The Champion by Heather Grothaus


New Book Group #64 March 4, 2016
SINGLES:
First Things First by Stephen R. Covey- Audio Cassette

New Book Group #63 January 22, 2016 -- All Gone

New Book Group #62 November 6, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #61 October 30, 2015
SINGLES:
Border Bride by Deborah Hale

New Book Group #60 September 18, 2015
A set of "haunting" tales and a few mysteries for October!

SINGLES:
The Shadowing by Joan Overfield
Trilogy Of Mysteries Audio Book Shadow Prey, There Was A Little Girl, Smokescreen Audio Cassettes (NOT CDs)

New Book Group #59 July 31, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #58 June 26, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #57 May 1, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #56 March 20, 2015
SINGLES:
The Sweetheart Dance by Patti Ann Colt
Raintree Haunted by Linda Winstead Jones (spine creases)

New Book Group #55 February 5, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #54 December 26, 2014 -- All Gone

BOX 4 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 47-53)

The Hidden Truth of Cytech's Randall Forty by Vickie Kennedy
Jezebel by Katherine Sutcliff
Undateable by Ellen Rakieten & Anne Coyle


BOX 3 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 39- 47)

Shetland Summer by Janet Lynnford
Breakfast in Bed by Sandra Brown - Audio Cassette Tapes (link is for mass media version)
Sweet Talking Man by Betina Krain


BOX 2 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 24- 38)

Thinner by Stephen King
Foundation (Foundation Novels) by Isaac Asimov
Magic: The Gathering Distant Planes, An Anthology
The Willful Widow by Valerie King (spine wear)
An Honorable Man by Rosemary Rogers (spine creases)
A Courtesans Guide to Getting Your Man by Susan Donovan and Celeste Bradley -- NOTE This book has dog bite damage; it is missing half back cover and the edges of pages in the back third of the book... it does not effect the text but I will understand if no one wants this one
The Trailsman: Texas Lead Slingers by Jon Sharpe
Anthology: Something Borrowed, Something Blue - this book has spine creases and minor water damage...I thought I had read it and liked it but now I realize it was another anthology I read with Elaine Barbier.


BOX #1 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 1- 23)

Alien Chronicles - The Crimson Claw by Deborah Chester
Ghost Writer (Shivers #3) by M.D. Spenser

If you saw the pictures posted of my bookshelves and boxes you know I do have lots of books! And that doesn't include the other eight or so boxes at my office!! And more books as I find deals too good to pass up! I am sharing my book bounty by these Friday Pick Giveaways.

I started Friday Pick on November 27, 2009 and in almost seven years I have posted 68 groups of 16 (1,088) books to find new homes! (as of November 4, 2016).

I am happy to say that so far about 1,063+ books have found new homes! YAY. I have to update my print out to check the exact number sent out - a few were never claimed. I periodically update the lists - deleting those won. You can still go to the Friday Pick list link to see older posts and the older lists book pictures if you want!

Note rules here regarding international entries.

Because postage to overseas can be prohibitive I am willing to give a $5.00 book certificate to international winners - Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, ARe, TWRP, ClassAct Books, eTreasures, Desert Breeze, etc....you tell me where and I'll set it up. So for my overseas visitors your comment may indicate a smaller book and I'll check postage or note your choice of gift card.

I learned that The Book Depository does not ship to everywhere. The postage for some of the books to far away places runs between $7.00 and $10.00 and up. Since I would award $5.00 for The Book Depository to an international winner, as an alternative you may choose a smaller book and we will hope the postage will not exceed $6.00. If the postage is more, or if you want to pick a larger book and you are willing to pay any extra postage beyond the $6.00 I will work with you on that. This may not make a difference to many but if it helps one or two of you to give one of my books a home that will make me happy too. :o)

Repeating this helpful blog tip: You can right click on a link and you will be given the choice to open the link in a new window or tab so you do not navigate away from the screen you are on!! I use this all the time!

Book Review and Giveaway: Plain Proposal by Beth Wiseman

This is a sweet, easy Amish romance.
Plain Proposal (Daughters of the Promise Book 5)
by Beth Wiseman

File Size: 872 KB
Print Length: 305 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (March 28, 2011)
ASIN: B004P5NRQ0
Genre: Amish, Inspirational, Romance
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Miriam secretly vows to follow Saul no matter what the future holds. She never thought that future might take them away from their Amish community.
Miriam Raber could have her pick of any of the eligible bachelors in Lancaster County. But she only has eyes for one . . . Saul Fisher. He captured her heart years ago, and she's never looked back. Even when rumors circulate that Saul may leave their Amish community to pursue a once-in-a-lifetime apprenticeship, Miriam makes a bold assertion: she will stand by him, whether he stays or goes.
Saul Fisher has experienced an inordinate amount of loss in his short life. Raising his two brothers and caring for a grieving father who privately seeks solace in the comfort of his homemade wine, Saul has kept his father's drinking from the community. But if he leaves Lancaster, the burden of secrecy will be left to his young brothers. How does he balance this with the dream that burns bright within him?
As Miriam and Saul consider leaving their lives behind, God starts revealing things to Miriam that make her think twice about what it means to be a Daughter of the Promise, and what it means to make a home.
Experience this love story with a surprising resolution by one of the most popular voices in Amish fiction.

Review:
Miriam Raber, at eighteen, is a lovely young woman who hasn’t dated in her Amish community as she is waiting for the right boy. She has believed for years that Saul Fisher is the one for her. This troubles her mother as it is well known that Saul has had a couple of rumbles and now there are rumors that he has plans to leave the community. Why can’t Miriam be interested in Jesse who is interested in her? Jesse is handsome, kind, hardworking and an excellent choice for a partner.

Miriam is looking forward to her first outing with Saul when she learns that her cousin, Shelby, has arrived from the city. Shelby is disgruntled and wary after suffering through her parents’ divorce and getting herself into a bit of trouble which has resulted in her being ‘sent away’ to her Amish cousins. The Amish farm is a culture shock for Shelby and Miriam tries her best to make her feel welcome.

Saul cares for Miriam and wants the chance to spend time with her even though he knows he shouldn’t. He has dreams that will take him to the city if only things remain smooth at his home so he can comfortably leave his younger brothers with their father. But their father is still having struggles after the death of Saul’s mother and sister. Saul is torn between protecting his family, wanting to be with Miriam and pursuing his dream.

Miriam believes that she is willing to be with Saul no matter where he goes but she doesn’t understand his moods as he seems to be pushing her away. She doesn’t yet know the extent of his dreams or his home problems. Will she still be supportive when she learns the full truth?

Initially Miriam’s mother is judgmental of Saul and later misjudges Shelby for influencing Miriam. Later her father becomes controlling as he fears Miriam may choose to leave the community.

Miriam’s parents are walking a fine line between trying to hold on to their beloved daughter and allowing her freedom to make her own decisions. Saul is hiding secrets at home rather than seeking help from others in their community. Shelby is finding her way to rebuilding her relationship with God as she discovers benefits and peace in the simple lifestyle of the Amish community.

This is a sweet story with likeable characters. It reads quickly and easily and the conflicts create a good plot. I really like the premise of what it means to be “a Daughter of the Promise”. There are several faith issues reflected and there are good discussion questions at the end. There are also some yummy recipes. (I’m eager for my hubby to make the Overnight Blueberry French Toast.) I recommend this to readers who enjoy Amish romances.

This was our Ladies Book Club read for April. It qualifies for Mount TBR and "P" in Alphabet Soup Challenge.

GIVEAWAY:

One (very gently read) PRINT COPY - US Only

ENTRY FORM HERE

(Don't forget to fill in the form for entry!)

For 3 Extra Bonus entries

(a) comment on the review, OR

(b) Visit the Author's website and tell me something you learned or like there.

* This contest is open to US for Print Copy.
* This contest will close 5 PM (Central) May 27, 2017. Winner will be announced in the Sunday Post on 2/26/17.
Winners are asked to respond on the winners form linked in the announcement or by email.

Book Review and Feature: Desert Melody by Laura Evans Serna

This story is more romance than sci fi, but involves engaging ‘cult’ society elements.

Desert Melody
by Laura Evans Serna

File Size: 923 KB
Print Length: 226 pages
Publisher: Laura Evans Serna; 1 edition (April 17, 2017)
ASIN: B071R1LKM1
Genre: Romance, Metaphysical, Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

For generations the Voyan have lived peacefully among Humans, blending in despite their special thought-sharing abilities and unique communal culture. But now a mysterious disease is killing Voyan babies.
Teagan is a Voyan wet nurse saving the lives of newborns. As the mother of a half-Human child, she struggles to fit into the Voyan world. When she falls for Josh, a Human man eager to take on the roles of husband and father, she starts to question her deepest beliefs about her people and her own fate.
Soon Teagan faces threats from unknown and unlikely foes. She must decide what she's willing to risk for a chance at love, security, and a future for her child.

Review:
Few Humans are aware that they share their world with two other races: the Voyans and the Ahns. The Voyans share mind thoughts and thrive in communal living arrangements. Their minds are usually busy with the buzz of thoughts which lessens their ability to study and advance in technical fields. The Voyans are struggling as a disease is killing their newborns. Teagan, a Voyan, has given birth to a half-Human child, Brianna. Teagan continues to be a wet nurse to other Voyan newborns who may only survive with healthy Voyan mother milk.

Teagan did not have a good sexual experience when she conceived and she has not been interested in finding a partner, which is unusual in her society. Teagan has a ‘disability’ as she lost the ability to thought share when she became pregnant. This has allowed her to enjoy college studies, especially science labs.

Teagan meets Josh at her favorite coffee hang out. He is attracted to her exotic beauty and is protective when he spots her trying to avoid another man. Teagan keeps bumping into Josh and soon believes that her ancestral grandmother is guiding her to be with him. They slowly become friends and, for the first time, Teagan feels drawn to a man. Her family is very unhappy with this as Voyans are supposed to find a partner among their own kind.

Josh seems to sincerely care about Teagan. He worries that she is involved in a cult group and wants to get her away from that community. Teagan’s immediate family have determined they need to move to a larger, safer Voyan community. The family is inclined to leave Brianna to be raised by her Human family. Teagan is torn as she wants to be with her family but does not want to be separated from Brianna (even though Brianna spends a lot of time with others while Teagan goes to classes and spends time with Josh). Teagan is also torn because she wants to be with Josh.

This conflict increases as the time for the move grows closer. A strong Voyan man appears claiming Teagan is to be his partner. Now she must make a choice – remain with the Voyans, sacrificing her own desires to the needs of the community, or leave her Voyan family to stay with Josh. Suddenly a terrible secret regarding Teagan’s disability is discovered and Teagan is given a warning exposing a secret about Josh. Teagan is reeling from these new facts, when her life takes a drastic turn.

I did find the cult society issues interesting but felt that the science fiction element was merely a peripheral basis for the conflicted romance. There is a lot of detail spent on the wet nurse aspects that effected Teagan’s day to day routines as well as the times of emergency when she had to help newborns.

The story is written in first person from Teagan’s view and there is a fair amount of telling rather than showing. Near the final third of the book there are twists and action which pick up the pace and make the story more engaging. I felt there were several loose ends. I would recommend this more for romance readers than hard sci fi readers.

I received this title through Pump Up Your Book Tours.

Desert Melody is
available for purchase at Amazon
and Barnes & Noble.

Book Excerpt:

I lay in bed, enjoying the morning quiet as I watched my sleeping daughter. Her jet-black hair fanned out across our pillow. Thin white drapes over the window swelled gently as the cool morning air washed over us.

I traced the scars up and down my arms and chest, my hand stopping as usual on the jagged scar across my lower back. Would I ever forget? Did I want to? Thankfully, my Brianna stirred just then, bringing me back to the present. She opened her chocolate-brown eyes and melted my heart with her smile. I sent her off into the kitchen with my aunt Eva so that I could begin my morning ritual. I pulled out my electric breast pump and set it on the dresser.

My milk has Factor K, a protein known to significantly improve survivability for weak Voyan newborns. Only about 10 percent of Voyan women produce Factor K. Even without this protein, though, Voyan milk is invaluable because many postpartum Voyan have found they can no longer produce milk. Despite the efforts of a handful of dedicated Human biochemists, no suitable formula has been developed for Voyan babies. Donors save babies from starvation.

The buzz in my head grew stronger. Unintelligible whispers sneaked in to taunt me, to remind me of my damaged state. I could no longer pick up the thoughts of my family, and they couldn’t pick up mine.

I stepped into the shower, letting the thrum of water on my head chase the mumblings away. As I got dressed, Eva peeked her head in. In the light of the morning sun, the delicate scars across her chest looked like fine lace.

“Teagan, I made cinnamon rolls. Brianna’s favorite.” Her voice was slow and sweet.

“Everyone’s favorite,” I said, winking at Eva. She turned to go but remembered something.

 “Going out?”

Eva couldn’t understand my desire to get away from my Voyan family. With the Voyan, I was deaf and mute. I was disabled. Out in the city, I could pretend to be Human.

“I was, unless you need me here.”

“Just a few moments?” she asked nervously. I knew exactly what she meant. Eva wanted me to spend time with our ancestors. Picking up Brianna, I headed to the tiny golden room behind the kitchen.

Brianna was mesmerized by the candles that lit up the small ancestor room. A few silver and gold urns sat together in a corner. I could tell that at one time the urns had engraved designs, but now they were worn from years of being touched and rubbed. They held the ashes of my ancestors as well as those of many other Voyan my family happened to meet.

I closed my eyes, listening for something I knew I could no longer hear. The air was thick, and not just from smoke. I could almost feel the voices of the dead around me, but not quite. And the more I tried to feel them, the harder it was.

About the Author

Laura Evans Serna grew up in Albuquerque wandering the Sandia mountains and enjoying magnificent sunsets each night. She was spoiled by the mountain and desert wilderness and the freedom it offered. Now that she’s lived in Oxford, Washington, DC, and Tokyo, she knows how rare and precious that kind of experience is. 

           

As a teenager Laura would lie on her concrete driveway with her siblings and friends, watching Hale Bopp slowly cross the sky. She discussed science and theology with no reservation. What are the laws of physics, and where did they
come from? What do they mean? Where do humans fit into all of this? What binds society together? Laura believes that these are the questions that make us human. They don’t belong to the scientists, philosophers, or theologians. Everyone has a right to make them their own.

        

Laura started her undergraduate degree in Chemistry at the University of New Mexico. At the time, she was tired of Albuquerque. Until she left she didn’t appreciate the unique mix of cultures or the abundance of intellectual activity of her home town. She married a man in the Air Force and followed him to Colorado, where she spent her time teaching English with Catholic Charities and finishing up a degree in math at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Next Laura moved to the UK where she had the opportunity to study at the University of Oxford. She earned an MSc in Mathematical Modelling while pregnant and experiencing motherhood for the first time. (It was a struggle, to be sure!) Laura found Oxford to be a fantastic, walkable city perfect for pushing a newborn around in a pram. Although they only spent three years in Oxford, she will always feel as if it is a home of sorts for them.

       

Laura spent periods of time teaching math and doing technical editing, but motherhood suits her more than any other hat she’s worn. Her three daughters are a constant joy. She has come to the conclusion that the world over needs more, not less, of the maternal touch, and she wants to write stories featuring strong, intelligent mothers.

You can visit her website at www.lauraevansserna.com or connect with her on Facebook.

Book Review: From Afar by Roger Thomas

This is a beautifully written, delightful fictional story of the three wise men, and it gives me goosebumps!  [This is probably the closest I will get to "gushing" in a review.]
From Afar
by Roger Thomas

File Size: 923 KB
Print Length: 187 pages
Publisher: Tumblar House (October 24, 2016)
ASIN: B01MQ507NQ
Genre: Inspirational. Religious, Historical Fiction
My Rating: 5.0+ of 5.0

The Magi, or Three Kings, of the Nativity story are among the best loved yet most mysterious figures in all history. The fleeting and sparse account in St. Matthew's Gospel raises as many questions as it answers. It has been so embroidered over the centuries that the original historical context has been almost completely buried. Yet the world of the early first century was as dynamic and intriguing as any legend - and much more perilous.
In his compelling novelization of the journey of the Magi, Roger Thomas draws on Scripture, history, and modern research. This swift-moving tale brings these shadowed figures to vivid life. You meet them as men of their time and culture: learned and noble, yet experienced with a brutal world and even violent when necessary. Come with them as they search for a King they do not understand, and seek for answers to questions lying in the deepest parts of their souls - providing they survive the dangers of the journey.

Review:
This is a beautifully rich imaging of the story of the three Magi who seek the birth of a king that was told in the stars. Melchior is the scholar; the teacher and mentor to the others. Gaspar is a warrior and strategist who hires out for selected battles as he has not yet found a noble general who seeks to serve his people rather than himself. Balthazar is the seeker of truth, trying out any religion he comes across in hopes of finding purity and true devotion. Gaspar and Balthazar meet by chance as they stop to visit their old teacher who seems a bit disheartened.

When Melchior becomes excited by a strange alignment in the stars, they all become interested. He taught them that there are secrets that can be interpreted by watching the heavens. Melchior is convinced that the great star and surrounding planets foretell the birth of a great king. In their discussions, Balthazar shares that there were prophesies given by a Jew in exile that told of many events that Melchior knew were not predicted by any other writings. Melchior is eager to learn more of the dreams and visions of Bel’Tshazzar, also known as Dani’el. After months of study, Melchior announces that based on the teachings he believes that the year has come when a king -more than a king, but the savior of the Jews, the Mesiach - is to be born of the tribe of Judah. The three men agree to follow the path of the star to find the king.

They set out with a good-sized group of retainers and men at arms. They also take along a young slave boy, Baba, who has proven helpful, curious and eager. He is ready for his first journey away from home.

All of the journey is an adventure, but some roads are safe and others bring danger. Along the way, they have encounters where they serve others and are given, or recover, precious gifts. When they reach Jerusalem and discover there is no new born king they falter. Then they get additional information that makes them press on just a bit further to Beit-Lechem.

The author does a wonderful job creating the characters with depths and uniqueness that compliment and strengthen each other. There are other characters too who are nicely drawn and add their own elements, such as Baba and Captain Tegranes. The journey is full of action and carried through to the return to Melchior's estate with interesting details. The story is well-crafted, and the characters and events are totally believable and beautifully presented. I wanted it to be real.

Mr. Thomas uses creative situations where the Magi acquire the gifts they later give to Yusef, Miryam and baby Y'shua. The description as they gaze on "the Divine Child" is breathtaking. The author also deftly weaves in messages of mercy and forgiveness as well as references to New Testament scriptures that may be recognized by those who have read or studied the Bible.

I found this story exhilarating! It gave me goose bumps and still does as I think of it. I had planned to read it earlier in the year but reading it a few months later is fine; almost appropriate just as the Magi came months after the child was born. I plan to buy this for my ladies’ book club and hope they will love reading it as I did. I recommend this to anyone who loves the story of the Three Kings, or Wisemen, as part of the Nativity story… and also to those who may be seekers drawn by the heartstrings of a God who speaks to His people in visions and in heavenly signs.

I am thankful that I received this in December through a Goodreads offering for review. It qualifies for Mount TBR Challenge.

Just a taste of the writing that spoke to me:
Balthazar shares with the others:

“We know that there is order in the spheres of the heavens. The stars and planets step their dance with regularity and harmony.” (Location 272.)
“It is in the heavens that we find the perfect, the unchanging, the incorruptible. It is only on this earth, beneath the sphere of the moon, that we find corruption and decay and imperfection. We men strive to do things, but our doings go awry.” (Location 276.)